Where are we gonna go from here?
by Specificitydarling
Summary: Set after the final battle of HP7 includes spoilers, everyone who survived has gone home. But what now...? Ron and Hermione have some unfinished business... My first HP fic, please R
1. 2 am

1

The door creaked as she opened it but no one inside the room moved. She saw moonlight shine onto Harry's face. For once, he was sleeping peacefully. The rest of the room was pitch black. It didn't matter though; she knew Ron's bed was directly opposite Harry's. And anyway, she was always able to find him. They had finally come back from Hogwarts. It was over. The war. The fight. They were allowed to be 17 again. They could have fun, and laugh, and love. Which is why it was the middle of the night and this couldn't wait.

She tiptoed over to him and leant over so that she could feel his breath on her face.

"Ron…" she whispered, so quietly she had to strain to hear herself. He smiled but was still asleep.

"Ron… wake up. Ron!"

"What?" Ron sat up and grabbed his wand. His face studied her, confused. "What are you doing here?"

She chose to ignore his question, just took his hand and pulled him out of bed. He, of course, followed her lead. But not without question.

"Hermione! Where are we going?" he yelled in a whisper.

They scurried down the several storeys of the burrow, ignoring angry comments from framed ancestors. She thought the kitchen was her best bet. No family portraits in there. Complete privacy. Hopefully. She ushered him in and closed the door.

"Hermione! Will you tell me what's going on?" Ron hissed. He was starting to look worried. And she was touched, again, by his heart. He loved his sleep. She had woken him up at 2 am and here he was worried about her.

She pushed herself up on her toes and joined her lips with his. It had surprised him, but after he had figured out what was happening, he kissed her back. Right before she pulled away.

"I couldn't… I just had to… I'm sorry-." She looked up at him hopeful, and worried.

Whatever smart comment she had prepared was cut off by his kiss. It wasn't like her one. Which was shy and hopeful. His kiss was gentle and passionate and it sent shivers down her spine. He had placed one hand in her bushy hair and the other one cupped her cheek and though she'd felt his hands before, she was sure they'd never been that soft.

They must have been standing there forever, but she had never been good at keeping track of time, so she wasn't certain. When they finally had to pull away, they were both breathless and smiling like idiots.

"Don't you ever be sorry. Okay?" he grabbed her hand and intwined her fingers with his.

"Okay."

"Good." He smiled and kissed her again. This was softer, and shorter. But she still got that same feeling. "Right. Lets go get some beauty sleep then."

They ignored more comments from ancient Weasleys on their way up the stairs. He kissed her goodnight infront of her door and also kissed her hand. She started to laugh but had to stop herself in case Ginny woke up. She watched him shuffle up the stairs and couldn't wait till the morning.

Beauty sleep was pretty much impossible for her. She could feel his lips on hers and it was like she had apparated into heaven.

She was eating breakfast with Harry when Ron came down the stairs the next morning. He looked happy but tired, and she wondered if he too, hadn't been able to sleep. He chose to sit down beside her and she grabbed his hand under the table.

"You know Ron, you kept mumbling something in your sleep." Harry stated while downing pancakes. Completely oblivious to the _couple _infront of him.

Ron's ears turned pink, but he tried to brush it off, "I've slept in the same room as you for six years, and you complain about _ME_ talking in my sleep?!" he tried to keep a straight face, "I just had something on my mind." He squeezed her hand as he said it and she made a mental note to ask him later.


	2. afternoon

2

It had only been one day since it happened. Although the burrow wasn't fully up to scratch in terms of neatness, no one expected Molly Weasley to nag the kids about it. George was taking Fred's death extremely hard. She couldn't imagine what it was like losing the person who completed you. But she knew she'd feel the same way if she had lost him. Despite there being no chores, or any other business to do urgently, it was like everyone else was determined to keep them apart. Harry for one, was becoming very clingy. She realised that he felt as if his purpose had gone. There was nothing more to fight, nothing to survive. All he had to do was live and enjoy. And unfortunately, he wasn't very experienced in that. That's why it was 4:30 in the afternoon and truthful, rule-abiding, sincere Hermione was going to fib.

She found Ron and Harry in their bedroom, talking about Quidditch. Of course. She stuck her head through the door, mostly because she didn't want to give anything away.

"Ron? Your mum wants to talk to you." She smiled at both of them and quickly stepped away from the door, waiting for him to come out. She heard him say something to Harry. She realised she was getting the fidgets just standing there. And she wondered when on earth she had started getting the fidgets while waiting for her best friend. She knew the answer before she had asked the question: when he stopped being her best friend.

When he came out and shut the door, he didn't have a chance to say anything before she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the broom closet at the end of the hallway.

"What the-?"

She locked the door and stood there breathless. She was innocent, and intelligent and totally in love. When she turned around she got a surprise; he was much closer than she'd expected.

"Bloody hell, Hermione…" he breathed. And she got goose bumps, because if she moved her face one inch closer: they would be kissing.

"I heard something about you talking in your sleep today?" she smirked questioningly, determined to play this her way. Nothing would distract her, not his touch or his voice. Or that little twitch in his lips.

"Yeah well… you see, this girl I really liked ran off with Viktor Krum." He shrugged, but she noticed a little red in his ears

"I doubt that would happen…" she smiled, then questioned, "You really like this girl?"

She hadn't noticed his hands on her waist, holding her close. "Nah," he said, grinning at her sudden disappointed expression, then whispered, "I love her."

She froze. Every smart and witty comment flew aut the window at that moment. He loved her. She jumped up and kissed him so hard that he had to hold her there just to make sure he wouldn't fall over. She swung her legs around his hips and his arms wrapped even tighter around her. His muscles surprised her. She knew he had them but not like this. Her hands got lost in his bright red hair and she wondered how she had gone 6 years without doing this. Both involuntarily pulling apart at the same moment, he rested his forehead against hers.

"Who are you? And what have you done with Hermione Granger?" he joked as he gently put her down to stand independently.

She gave him a look that she was sure she had never given ianyone before and spoke in a voice that didn't sound like her. "She fell in love."

He grinned and kissed her nose, "Right. She should do that more often."

A noise came from outside, sounded like Harry and Ginny. They were looking for them. He took her hand and opened the door of the closet. Luckily they had already moved to the second story. But she knew they would have to tell them some day. Some day soon. How would they react, she wondered. Harry already sort of knew. How would everyone else react?

"Ron? Hermione?" Molly Weasley's voice carried through the hall as she appear at the bototm of the stairs. They quickly let go of each other's hands and went downstairs, wondering when they could be alone next.

"My my, Your friends have been looking for you… Hermione, dear, why are you so out of breath?" And she was… She struggled to come up with a quick excuse because the nature of their actions in the closet was distracting her. If they were left alone for a whole day, what would they do?

"She was chasing me around. Apparently I need to clean my room." Ron said lazily. Only she recognised a hint of mischeviousness in his voice. She realised that you could actually see the muscles she had previously felt, through his shirt.

"Oh… yes. Really, that room…. You can't find anything in there. In fact, I bet that's where my _Hogwarts: A History_ is. I haven't been able to find it all morning." Her words made her grimace inwardly. Here she was pretending to be a bookish, innocent girl, when just a second ago her thoughts were anything but innocent.

"Hermione, while I fully agree with you." Mrs. Weasley eyes sparkled, once again hoping the organised girl would have at least some influence on her family. "I was hoping you and Ron could go talk to George."

Ron looked at his mother as if she'd just asked him to go and find another Horcrux.

"Mum. I don't -"

"Are you sure that's wise, Mrs. Weasley? Are you sure he's ready."

Molly's eyes glistened with tears, as they had many times that day, threatening to fall. Hermione couldn't imagine what it would be like losing a son. But she didn't think she'd ever want to find out. Molly grabbed her hand and Ron's hand, and looked down as though looking at them was too hurtful. That was probably right.

"Listen. I know my boys. He's never gonna be ready if he's not forced to be. All my sons need at little encouragement from someone." The statement rang true in both of their ears, but with a different tune than that of Molly's, who continued, "Apart from Fred, George was closest to you Ron. And you, Hermione, will at least make sure they don't kill each other."

"Okay." They both replied at the same time, stealing a sideways glance at eachother before smiling bravely. Gryffindor, right?

"Thank you. I would, you know…" Mrs. Weasley pulled a large handkerchief and blew her nose, "but I just… I can't."

Ron stepped forward, Hermione was sure his eyes glistened too. He wrapped his arms around his mother. "I know, mum. It's alright." He whispered.

It had just hit her in fact, how ungrieveing they had all acted these last two days. As many people were crammed into the burrow as was magically possible. Each and every one of them had lost at least one person. Yet, she and Ginny had discussed good-looking wizards twice at least. As she was sure the boys did with Quidditch. Apart from George, who had locked himself in his and Fred's room. Playing with Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Everyone else, it seemed, was two scared to cry. The people they hadn't been mentioned, but once, when it wasn't yet sure who was and who wasn't… She thought, maybe, they hadn't yet gotten their head around the fact that it was all over. That there would be no explosion during dinner time, taking even more loved ones. She understood their fear, though. For she too, was ready to pull out her wand any second. Any second she wasn't kissing Ron, that is. When she was doing that, nothing else bothered her. Nothing else mattered.


	3. mourning time

3

They stood infront of George's door, both breathing deeply. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly before he unlocked the door with his wand.

"Go away. I'm not hungry. I'm not thirsty. I don't want to talk." They heard before they had even stepped into the room. George's back was to them, sitting on Fred's bed. The room smelt slightly of fire. He had set off a few fireworks.

She looked at Ron for advice, but reasoned that they would probably back away. He wasn't facing her. He was staring at the window opposite the door and not moving an inch. Instead, with a flick of his wand he closed the door behind them. She still clung to his arm, and he held it as tighlty as ever.

"Then don't talk. Just listen." Ron's voice cracked. George turned around on the bed, his eyes red from crying.

"You're not Fred." He said pointedly. She wasn't sure what he meant by that, but Ron took his response grateful, as she felt him breath out in relief.

"No. I'm not. But I'm his brother too." Ron let go of her hand, and she felt bare for a second. Her eyes followed him as he walk around to the other side of the bed where George was sitting. Standing infront of him, he towered over his older brother. Hermione was amazed at the love Ron showed for his family. And she was certain he had just taken a little bit more of her heart.

"He was my brother too. He was our brother. And now he's gone. And it's not fair."

George surprised him by standing up suddenly and hugging his baby brother. "It's not fair."

Ron hugged him back tightly and she tried to fight back tears, but then decided she didn't want to.

"He was Fred." Ron started then shook his head, "He _is_ Fred. And you're George. No one will ever take his place. He wouldn't want that either. What do you think he would do if someone tried to replace him?" Ron said, pulling back from George and looking him directly in the eye.

George looked around the room, past her then back at Ron, and smiled sadly, "He'd make a joke about us not finding anyone good-looking enough." Both brother laughed for a second, then stopped suddenly, not knowing if that was okay yet.

"What do we do now, Ron?" George mumbled after a while.

Ron stared out of the window for a while, as if the daylight was feeding him words to say. "Right now, You'll get up off your butt, and crack a few jokes about the horrible atmosphere in the kitchen. Because, it really is horrid. Then you'll work on some more Wizarding Wheezes. If you're nice to me, maybe I'll help you. In the meantime…" Ron looked over at Hermione and gestured her to come closer. "I'll focus on being 17. How does that sound?" She had come to his side, giving George a brave smile, though she was sure her cheeks were stained with tears. Ron put his arm around her waist and pulled her tight.

George nodded, and smiled. It was still a little sad, but it was a start. "That sounds…. Like something Fred would be okay with."

Ron nodded. Hermione felt his arm tightened around her but she wasn't sure if he did it knowingly. George finally clicked though as he used Fred's jumper to wipe his face, he glanced from her to Ron and back.

"Ron finally wisened up, huh?" he grinned, as though the past 5 minutes had never happened. Hermione felt that his wise cracks would be even better now that George had Fred behind him in spirit. Two Weasleys in One. The world had better run for cover.

"No." she said after a second, "I got a bit tired of waiting. But his new understanding for S.P.E.W. helped." She grinned. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ron mouth _spew _to George, who laughed at both of them.

He held Fred's jumper tightly, "From both of us…. It's about blimmin' time." The trio laughed for a bit, before deciding it's time to go downstairs.

"Come on George. Lets go face the rest of the Weasleys…Oh and by the way, they don't know about… us." Ron said as he glanced at her then back at his brother. She felt good that George knew. He deserved to.

George grinned, "Sure. But guys, um, call me Gred. Okay?"


	4. Dinner time

4

In exactly 2 days Hermione would be going to Australia with Bill and Mr. Weasley to get her parents back. She was nervous as hell, though she didn't know why. Over the last week, the burrow had returned more or less to normal. Everyone had attended the funerals, Fred's, Tonks', Lupin's and others. Hermione had never worn so much black. George was proving that was infact inbearable with Fred behind him all the way. He still only answered to Gred or Forge, and insisted on wearing Fred's jumpers. Pretty much everyone that didn't call the burrow home had left and now it was just the Weasley's, Harry and her. She and Ron hadn't said anything yet, and though they shared touches and glances, the others remained oblivious to their relationship. Except George, who burst out laughing everytime he saw them together and had to blame it on Fred, who, he claimed had told him another joke. No one questioned it.

That evening though, they had decided that thay would let everyone know, at dinner. They had spent every moment they could be alone, kissing and discussing. Although she had to admit there had been more kissing than discussing. Many nights they woke up at 2 a.m. and went out into the garden. The weather had improved dramatically since Voldemort had been destroyed. The grass was soft, thanks to the care Molly Weasley had put into it. Hermione always felt guilty in the morning, when she looked out the kitchen window onto the fields. The patches of land where she and him and been rolling around on in the middle of the night. He'd lie on top of her, holding himself up to make sure he doesn't squash her. Which she didn't think she'd mind. Her hands found themselves in his hair or under whatever T-shirt he was sleeping in that night. She found herself obsessed with his muscles. The ones that still surprised her. His arms and shoulders are what she loved the most. When he held her tight and they stared at the moonlight shining onto trees, she didn't care if she ever read another book in her life; she just wanted to stay right there.

Molly was busy trying to get Ginny to set the table. It wouldn't have taken much time, but she was getting into deep conversation with Harry. Although never about what actually mattered, their relationship. They were still tiptoeing around that. She knew because Ron had asked him and told her.

When the meal was finally announced, after what seemed like forever, she wasn't really all that hungry. Here were the most important people in her life, bar her parents, and how they would react to their knews meant _everything. _

She and Ron shared reassuring glances all through the eating, and attempted to include themselves in as many conversations as possible.

"Um… guys… ahem." Ron cleared his throst loudly and finally 12 pairs of eyes turned to look at him, which set him back a step, "Right… yeah. I wanted to say something. Well not just me." She took that as a sign to stand up.

"Yes, we wanted to say that…" she took his lead. "We're sort of…"

"…together. We are together. Me and Hermione." Ron grabbed her hand as if he was about to pass out. A bunch of smiles appeared from the table. Harry and George were laughing at them silently.

"It was kinda obvious… wasn't it?" they asked each other. The rest of the family disagreed and murmured on their discreetness. Not a trait usually possessed by a Weasley.

Molly stared at the two of them for a while before saying anything. It wasn't certain whether she was concerned about her son, or worried what her son mught do to Hermione."Are you sure? I mean… you're young…"

She felt Ron tense up a bit, "Mum…"

"No. Let me." She whispered, then turned to face Mrs. Weasley, "Mrs. Weasley, Molly. Me and Ron couldn't be more different. I like to read and study and _follow the rules. _He like quidditch and chess and following after his brothers… We have fights nearly every day…", she heard him mumble something along the lines of : _are you sure you're helping?_ But she ignored him. "But frankly, that's what makes me and Ron so… right. I'd rather spend a lifetime of arguing with Ron than a day without him. I love your son, Mrs. Weasley. And I believe he loves me…"

She shot him a questioning look, and he continued. "I do. I love her. A lot more than a 17 year old should love someone. But I don't regret it. I think Hermione said it perfectly, mum, we… me and her… we're right. Just right."

There was silence until George stood up and gave them a standing ovation. Molly nodded, content with their answer and dessert was momentarily forgotten while people congratulated them.

That night, Hermione walked in while Ron was getting changed into his pyjamas and Harry was lying on his bed. For the first time, she didn't walk out embarrassed. Instead she sat on Ron's bed, waiting for him to finish so that they could carry out the second part of their plan.

"Harry…we were thinking. This thing with you and Ginny. It's ridiculous. You guys really need to sort this out." Ron said, once he had.

Harry sat up on his bed, slightly shocked at Ron's forward approach to the subject. As a matter of fact, so was she. "There's nothing to sort out."

At this she laughed, "Oh really, so you two aren't really tiptoeing around eachother?"

Harry made a face, "What should I do?"

"How about you sleep in Ginny's room tonight. You can take my bed. Just talk about it. Maybe tell her the whole story about our trip…" Hermione smiled encouragingly.

"But, mate. Leave out the part where I left, okay?" Ron laughed.

"Well, okay… but what about you Hermione?" Harry asked. When she looked at him questioningly. "What will you do for tonight?" he asked, not realising the silliness of his question.

Ron laughed again, and squeezed her shoulder "We'll be fine."

Harry nodded absently as his thoughts were occupied by his impending talk with Ginny. Soon after he gathered some clothes for the morning, he left the room and shut the door.

Ron pulled her up off the bed, "Well that was wasn't as painful as I'd thought…"

"Hm, and we killed two birds with one stone," she smiled seductively and he pulled her into a kiss.


	5. Goodnight

5

The fact that they weren't hiding anymore had seemed to discard any other inhibitions she or Ron had been feeling, if any. So the gentle kiss he had pulled her into quickly escalated. Realising he wasn't able to stand much longer, Ron slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling her with him. She sat on her lap, straddling him, just like she had seen in some of those muggle movies she watched at home. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her neck, while his hands were roaming her back. As it turned out, she was, in fact, ticklish. She giggled into his mouth before she could stop herself.

She felt him smile, "Now I have something I can use against you."

"You wouldn't-" she started to protest but was promptly interuppted when he rolled her on to her back and closed her mouth with his. Her thoughts were emptied of anything that wasn't directly connected to Ron's lips. Until, that is, she felt his gentle fingers graze over her side, sending her into a small fit of giggles.

"Ronald Weasley…", she tried to look serious, but their current position and the mischievious smirk he wore on his face made it impossible, "You are being childish."

"Right." He replied , bringing his face so close to hers that she could practically taste him. "And what do you plan to do about that, Miss Granger?"

She pulled him into another kiss so suddenly that his arms, that were holding him up so he didn't flatten her, gave way and their bodies pressed together. Everything fit into place, she noticed, like a puzzle that had finally been solved.

Once again her hands found their way underneath his shirt and she traced the muscles across his back. She felt an urge to kiss his collarbone and tugged desperatedly at his shirt, which was stopping her from doing that. He reluctantly pulled away and carelessly tossed the shirt onto the floor.

"That's better." She mumbled into his neck after her lips had once again joined his skin. Sudden confidence overwhelmed her and she took things into her own hands. She rolled him over onto his back, taking care they didn't fall off the dangerously small bed. A little moan escaped his mouth when she pulled away, and she felt a lovely warmth in her. She pulled her own shirt over her head, tossing it somewhere near his. His eyes widened and he grinned widely after a few moment of intial shock.

"Bloody hell, Hermione."

He pulled her back down into another passionate kiss, which she definitely didn't mind. And she assumed he didn't either, because she was sure she felt a little poke in her thigh.

A few more minutes passed, that seemed like hours to her, of pure bliss. She had never before felt so sure that she was in the right place. That she was meant to be right there, with Ron.

Her hands that had been entangled in his hair, trailed down the length of his back and stopped at his pants, which the casually placed her thumbs under, tugging slightly. A hand left her hip and covered her own. He propped himself up on the other, towering over her.

"Stop."

A flood of worry spread through her. Had she done something wrong? Had he changed his mind?

"What? I'm sorry…Did I do something wrong?" She felt her cheeks turned several shades darker.

He chuckled at her embarrassment, which gave her some hope. "What did I say about being sorry? You didn't do anything wrong. No, you were…" he paused, but she wasn't sure if it was for dramatic effect or he was just searching for the right words. "Bloody hell, you're brilliant." He grinned reassuringly at her before continuing, "No, I just… I want us to, to do this", he gestured at their bodies, hugged together tightly, "because we want to. Not only because we can."

She opened her mouth to say something along the lines of: _but I want to_, but he beat her to it.

"I want to. Bloody hell, I'd rather do that than anything else. But not tonight, not here."

She nodded. She knew what he was getting at. They were both still trying to get over what had happened. Hermione still had no parents. Ron was still getting over his brother. And his parents were a single storey down.

"Okay."

She remembered when Ron was younger, and he did what he wanted, when he wanted. She fell in love with that Ron, but tonight her heart swelled for this one. The older one. The one that knew what death and loss felt like. The one who saw himself as his family's guardian. The one that loved her.

"Right. Where were we?" he whispered. Though she prepared herself for the mesmerising acting of kissing him once more, he pleasantly surprised her. Grabbing his wand off the nightstand, he mumbled a few words and the lights flew out. He twisted himself so he was directly behind her and pulled her closer, spooning her. A strong, muscular arm wrapped around her waist, making sure she didn't escape. She decided she loved his protectiveness.

"I love you Ronald Weasley." She said as she settled her head back against his warm chest. For a while, she could hear nothing, except his heartbeat, which was reassuringly steady. She assumed he had fallen asleep. Feeling suddenly quite exhausted, she closed her eyes, slipping halfway into dreamland, when he surprised her by smiling into her hair.

"I love you too Hermione Granger."


End file.
